Evelyn Pittman (Kimbro Family)

This interview and documentary discussion center on the life, artistry, and cultural impact of Evelyn LaRue Pittman, highlighting her role as a pioneering Black composer, educator, conductor, and activist whose influence extended across generations and international communities. Through family memories, archival materials, and reflections from former students and musicians, the interview presents Pittman not only as an accomplished artist, but also as a mentor, cultural historian, and community builder.

Evelyn LaRue Pittman was a groundbreaking composer, conductor, educator, playwright, and cultural leader whose work helped shape Black musical and artistic history in Oklahoma City and beyond. Born and raised in Oklahoma City within a deeply rooted church and musical family, Pittman emerged as a pioneering figure in choral music, opera, and arts education during a time when opportunities for Black women in classical and professional music spaces were severely limited.

Raised by parents and family members heavily involved in church leadership, music, and civic life, Pittman developed a passion for performance and composition from an early age. Her mother, a longtime church leader and educator, helped cultivate a household centered around faith, discipline, education, and artistic expression. Pittman later studied music composition at the University of Oklahoma and continued her studies internationally in Paris with renowned composition teacher, Nadia Boulanger.

Throughout her career, Pittman broke racial and gender barriers in the arts. She became the first Black woman known to write the music, libretto, orchestration, and stage direction for a full-length opera, Cousin Esther, a folk opera rooted in Biblical storytelling and Black cultural traditions. She also authored Rich Heritage, an educational music and history text centering African American historical figures for young students.

Pittman conducted large interracial and interdenominational choirs during segregation and the Civil Rights era, touring nationally and internationally with student and community performers. Her productions and musical works traveled throughout the United States and abroad, including performances in Europe, Ghana, and Japan. Former students, family members, and colleagues describe her as disciplined, visionary, spiritually grounded, and deeply committed to excellence in both performance and education.

Following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Pittman composed Freedom Child, a musical drama honoring King’s life and the broader Civil Rights Movement. Through music, storytelling, and theatrical production, Pittman used art as a form of activism, historical preservation, and cultural affirmation. Her work amplified Black history and Black voices at a time when many stories were excluded from mainstream educational and artistic institutions.

Though much of her work remains under recognized nationally, Pittman’s influence continues through generations of musicians, educators, composers, and family members whose lives were shaped by her mentorship, performances, and artistic vision. Her legacy stands as an important contribution to Black music history, Oklahoma history, and the preservation of African American cultural memory.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Black musical composition

Frederick A. Douglass High School

International choral conducting

University of Oklahoma

Composition of "Cousin Esther"

Langston University

Music education and mentorship

WKY Radio Station

Syndicated Black radio programming

• Music education and mentorship
• Church programs and choir materials
• Radio show advertisements and recordings
• Family photographs